School Film Production in London and Across the UK

A school is hard to sum up in a brochure. What parents, staff and inspectors want to see is what happens in the classroom: how teachers teach, how pupils respond, what the place feels like on an ordinary day. Steve has a real eye for capturing the most important moments with children in schools, and he gets on with everyone, which helps teachers and pupils relax in front of the camera.

Who This Is For

• Primary and secondary schools that want a film about the school for their website, open days or prospective parents.
• Academies and multi-academy trusts that need films about their schools, their approach or their staff.
• Education unions, charities and organisations that need education films showing teaching and learning in real schools.
• Colleges and training providers that want films about their courses, students and teaching.

For companies and organisations outside education, see corporate documentary in London. For charities, families and personal stories, see the main documentary filmmaker in London page.

Typical projects

• A school film for open days, open evenings and the school website.
• Short films about a subject, a project or a way of teaching, told by the teachers and pupils involved.
• Interviews with the head teacher, staff, pupils and parents.
• Education films for unions, trusts and organisations, filmed in real lessons.
• A longer observational film that follows a school over a term, a year or more, like the three-year film about XP School.
• A main film plus shorter cuts for social media and newsletters.

Filming Children: Consent and Safeguarding

Filming in a school is a privilege, and it only works when the school, parents and pupils trust the process. Steve treats this as part of the production plan, not an afterthought:

• The school's procedures come first. Your own safeguarding and media consent policies set the rules, and they take priority over the filming schedule.
• Consent is arranged with the school before filming. Together you agree which pupils can appear, how consent from parents or guardians is collected and checked, and what happens with pupils who do not have consent, who are kept out of shot.
• Children understand what is happening. As well as parental consent, pupils who are interviewed are told in words they understand what the film is and where it will be shown.
• A discreet presence. Steve usually works on his own with compact kit, so there is one familiar adult with a camera rather than a crew in the room, always working alongside school staff.
• The school sees the cut. Nothing is published until the school has reviewed the film.

Our guide on how to approach interviewees for a documentary explains how consent and release forms fit into a film.

How It Works

1. First call. You explain what the film is for, who will watch it and when you need it. Steve asks about the school, the people who should appear, the budget and your consent procedures.
2. Planning with the school. Steve agrees with a named member of staff the filming days, the lessons and spaces to film, who will be interviewed and how consent is handled.
3. The shoot. Steve films lessons, playgrounds and interviews with a light footprint, so the school day carries on as normal.
4. The edit. Steve edits the film himself. The school sees a cut, gives feedback and approves the final version.
5. Delivery. The finished film is graded and delivered in the versions agreed at the start, for example a main film and shorter cuts for the website and social media.

What's Included

• Direction: developing the story and directing the film from concept to completion.
• Camera: filming on compact professional cameras, including the Sony Z90 and Panasonic GH5, with drone footage from a DJI Mini 3 where the story and the site allow it.
• Sound recording on location, by Steve himself or with a sound assistant when the shoot calls for one.
• Interviewing teachers, pupils and parents so they speak in their own voice.
• Editing in Final Cut Pro, including sound design.
• Colour grading and delivery of the final files.

Why one filmmaker rather than a crew? Our guide to when a small documentary crew is the right choice explains why a small presence matters in classrooms.

Pricing

Every project is quoted individually. The price depends on the number of filming days, the number of sites, the length of the edit and the versions you need. A single-day film for open evenings costs far less than a film that follows a school over a whole year.

For a full explanation of what shapes a budget, read how much it costs to make a documentary in London. If you have a budget in mind, say so in the project brief: Steve can then suggest an approach that fits it.

Selected Work

• Education films with the National Education Union, made over the last four years, filming children and teachers in real classrooms.
• Above All Compassion: The Story of XP School (2020, 38 min): a three-year observational film about XP School in Doncaster, observing how its expeditionary learning approach works in everyday practice.
• Child Slave Rescue: a film furthering the rights of the child, which won Steve a UNICEF award.
• The Man Who Loves Gary Lineker (BBC Video Diaries, 1993): directed by Steve, it won the BAFTA for Best Single Documentary.

Watch the XP School film and others on the films page, or read Steve's biography.

What people say

"Despite his considerable experience and talent he is modest to a fault and works well with absolutely everybody."

"Most important of all he knows how to engage with different kinds of people and get the best out of them. I strongly recommend him."

More on the testimonials page.

Questions People Often Ask

Can you make a film about our school for prospective parents?

Yes. A film for open days and the school website works best when it shows real lessons, real pupils and teachers speaking in their own words, rather than a scripted tour. Steve directs, films and edits the film himself, and can deliver a main film plus shorter cuts for the website and social media.

Have you filmed in schools before?

Yes. For the last four years Steve has been making education films with the National Education Union, filming children and teachers in real classrooms. He also made Above All Compassion: The Story of XP School, a three-year observational film about XP School in Doncaster and its expeditionary learning approach.

How do you handle consent and safeguarding when filming children?

The school's own safeguarding and media consent procedures come first and take priority over the filming schedule. Before filming, Steve agrees with the school which pupils can appear, how consent from parents or guardians is collected and checked, and how pupils without consent are kept out of shot. The school sees the cut before the film is published.

Will filming disrupt lessons?

Very little. Steve usually works on his own with compact kit, recording sound himself or with a sound assistant when the shoot calls for one. A single person with a small camera lets the classroom stay a classroom, and children and teachers soon stop noticing the camera.

Do you only film schools in London?

No. Steve is based in London and films schools there, and he also works elsewhere in the UK: his film about XP School was made over three years in Doncaster. Travel is simply included in the quote.

How much does a school film cost?

There is no fixed price. Every project is quoted individually, based on the number of filming days, the number of sites, the length of the edit and the versions you need. A single-day film for open evenings costs far less than a film that follows a school over a term or a year.

Further Reading

• Observational documentary filmmaking: a practical guide
• How to approach interviewees for a documentary
• Documentary interview techniques for authentic stories
• When a small documentary crew is the right choice
• How to choose a documentary filmmaker in London
• How much does it cost to make a documentary in London?